All Proceeds Will Support The Trevor Project in Honor of Hate Crime Victim Nex Benedict

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 20, 2025 / Donating all the proceeds to LGBTQ+ mental health and suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project, activist singer-songwriter Rachael Sage and her longtime band The Sequins have released their powerful new single "Nexus" from their upcoming studio album Canopy, out October 24 via MPress Records.

A heartfelt tribute to Benedict and their family, the song is Sage's sobering response to the tragic story of Nex Benedict who passed away after being beaten by school peers for being nonbinary. "Nexus" is equally a timely, universal anthem underlining the critical importance of inclusivity and empathy. Sage shows we can all be a part of this mission, singing: "I wanna make this tide of torturousness mean something/If any good can come from desperately gathering/We can lift each other up with our resolve instead of doing nothing."

Listen to "Nexus" HERE
Stream/Download "Nexus" HERE
Preorder Canopy HERE

Sage discusses the song, saying: "I wrote ‘Nexus' almost immediately after reading about nonbinary student Nex Benedict, and the tragic story of their death after being violently beaten by their school peers," shares Sage on the inspiration for the song. "The horror of learning about the cruelty and violence to which they were subjected - and how the local community and their school did nothing to stop it from happening even when they had the opportunity - struck a very deep and personal chord as my first bandmate took his own life rather than come out to his parents. All I could think of when this song fell out was the unimaginable suffering of Nex's family, long after the headlines faded. The song recounts something very tragic, but I also felt it was crucial to draw some hope out of how we can come together. Fear and silence are best combatted by standing together and doing our best to show solidarity. By raising our voices collectively against hate, we can shift the cultural tide for the better. This song is about mourning, survival and transformation - and how in dark times we need and must be there to lift each other up, all the more."

Rachael Sage & The Sequins continue to bring their inclusive musical message from their upcoming album Canopy to major cities across the county before they head for extensive tours of the UK. Featuring recently released single "Belong To You" as well as fan favorites "Canopy," "Just Enough," "The Best Version," and "Live It Up," Canopy is a masterclass in radical self-acceptance. Determined to find light in the darkest places, Canopy, produced by Sage with Grammy® nominee Mikhail Pivovarov and mixed by Pivovarov and Grammy® winning producer Andy, Canopy will be released digitally worldwide on Oct 24. A special limited-edition 40-panel hardcover book CD package - featuring Sage's original artwork - as well as an orange colored vinyl edition, will be released on November 14th and is available for preorder now via MPress Records.

ABOUT RACHAEL SAGE:
Since founding her own label MPress Records, NYC-based folk-pop artist Rachael Sage has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums. She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Howard Jones, and Grammy® winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins - with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young's "Helpless." In addition to being a six-time Independent Music Award-winning musician and producer, Sage is also a John Lennon Contest Grand Prize winner who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW, and toured globally from Japan to Berlin. Sage is also a visual artist and former ballet dancer who performed with the New York City Ballet. A self-described "cancer thriver," she is a philanthropic advocate who has raised money for a wide range of causes, including Foundation For Women's Cancer, WHY Hunger, American Refugee Committee/Alight, National Network For Youth (NN4Y), The Trevor Project, and Rainbow Mind (UK).

Tour Dates
(please see rachaelsage.com for all ongoing US and UK tour dates)

Suggested Post
Rachael Sage & The Sequins have released a powerful single "Nexus," ahead of her forthcoming album Canopy. The song is a vital call for the importance of inclusion and acceptance. Listen now https://youtu.be/CQPY14PVX7Y

For more information and interview requests, please contact:
US:Jill Richmond-Johnson, MPress Records | jillr@mpressrecords.com
James Steers, Press Here | james@pressherepublicity.com
UK: Cat Hockley, Fifth Element PR | cat@fifthelement.biz

SOURCE: MPress Records